Brian Charette: Wu Wei

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Does Brian Charette really draw on the different disciplines of chess and kung fu as inspiration for his music? I am told that "kung fu" translates as improvement through great effort, yet what I encounter here is a musician who plays effortlessly and with an instinctive sense of the musical. I suspect that Charette has a very discerning ear, since his performances seem to reflect what he hears in the cosmos, rather than any fashionable trends out there on the scene. His highest profile gigs have usually been in the company of those outside the jazz world (e.g., Chaka Khan, Joni Mitchell, Cindy Lauper), but don't doubt his jazz credentials for a moment. Charette is a first-rate organist (and needs to be heard on that instrument, too), but here he turns uncharacteristically to piano for a solo outing. This work is an exploration of tone colors, with the melody developing implicitly from the passing harmonies. Think of it as an "In a Mist" for the new millennium. This is jazz that is both pastoral and surprising: an odd combination, but one that reflects the fresh perspectives of this promising stylist. Charette is an artist to watch.